SWTP316 - Social Work and Community Practice

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

SWTP321 Field Education in Social Work 2

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Social workers are required to understand and interpret the interface between people and their social, cultural and physical environments. Social workers also respond to human needs in the context of socio-political and environmental factors. This unit introduces students to community development work as a method of social work practice. It provides students with the theoretical knowledge and skills required to work effectively with vulnerable and marginalised communities. Students will be required to examine community development contexts, organisations and their contributions both within Australia and internationally. The unit analyses the importance of asset mapping and asset based approach to community community capacity building. The unit emphasis skills development in working with councils, lobbying, program planning and evaluating the outcomes of community development. As such, this unit aims to provide students with an essential area of competency, as outlined by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), in working with communities. Knowledge and skills required by graduates under the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) are developed throughout the unit by providing a theoretical base for future practice with communities toward enabling sound and sustainable community development initiatives.